PenFed Plaza Cherry Blossom Bash

PenFed

BACKGROUND

Tysons Corner Center, the premier shopping destination in Northern Virginia, unveiled PenFed Plaza a unique, 1.5-acre outdoor space designed to bring fresh energy and connectivity to the heart of Tysons.

As part of a larger partnership brokered by WHITE64, PenFed Credit Union became the naming sponsor and lead brand partner for the space. With that came opportunity to use the space as a platform for community engagement, visibility, and brand connection.

To bring the plaza to life, WHITE64 led the design and activation of its first signature event, the Cherry Blossom Bash, a joyful, spring-themed celebration aligned with Washington’s iconic National Cherry Blossom Festival.

The goal was to create something that felt equal parts community celebration and brand expression—a place and moment that people would want to be part of and remember.

CONSUMER BELIEF

People crave authentic connection—experiences that feel real, rooted in community, and worth sharing. And when brands show up in those moments with care and creativity, they’re not just seen—they’re remembered.

PenFed may be a credit union, but its presence at events like this shows a commitment to community that goes far beyond banking.

BELIEF INTERSECTION

The project began with a simple idea: design something joyful and engaging that inspires hope and connection.

This idea drove every element of the experience, both physical and digital. From an immersive flower wall designed to encourage photo sharing, to a build-a-bouquet truck that invited people to co-create beauty in the moment, every detail was a chance to foster friendship and human connection. The space was curated to be open, joyful, and unexpected, blending large-scale visual moments with small, intimate interactions that made the experience feel human and heartfelt. Whether visitors were capturing a photo, arranging a bouquet, or simply wandering through the plaza, the experience was a reminder that community is built together.

Digitally, we extended that spirit through PenFed Petals—a captivating and interactive experience where users could add a personal wish to a virtual cherry blossom tree and be entered to win $1,000.

The design drew cues from ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock prints, incorporating illustrative textures, organic linework, and serene animation. The cherry blossom tree – a symbol of beauty and life’s impermanence- stands tall in a tranquil, magical landscape, merging Japanese and American iconography to symbolize the two nations’ friendship with Virginia’s iconic Blue Ridge Mountains and Japanese cranes, a symbol of good luck. Petals drift gently to the ground, butterflies flutter across the screen, and the sky changes in real-time to reflect the time of day—adding wonder and layers of visual interest.

CHALLENGES

Launching PenFed Plaza meant creating an experience that felt fresh and meaningful—one that resonated with the community while striking a balance between visibility and authenticity. We aimed to draw people in not with overt branding, but with moments of joy, beauty, and connection. The PenFed brand needed to be present but also woven into the experience without overshadowing it.

Digitally, we faced the challenges of user-generated content on the PenFed Petals site. Users could submit personal wishes to a public cherry blossom tree, so we needed a thoughtful moderation system to ensure content remained positive and appropriate.

To achieve this, we implemented a three-tier moderation process:

• Automated Profanity Screening: Using the WebPurify Profanity Filter WordPress plugin, all submissions were scanned against a continually updated database of restricted terms—flagging any entries that included inappropriate language.
• AI-Powered Sentiment Analysis: Submissions were then reviewed through OpenAI’s Moderation API, which identified more nuanced risks, such as negativity or sensitive content, ensuring that the tone of the platform remained uplifting and inclusive.
• Human Oversight: A final review was conducted by human moderators, who received real-time notifications and could approve or reject submissions with a single click. By this stage, most content was ready for immediate publishing, streamlining the process without compromising quality.

This system created a safe, welcoming digital space—one that echoed the warmth and care of the in-person celebration.

RESULTS

The campaign delivered a meaningful, multi-channel brand experience that bridged in-person engagement and digital storytelling.

At the Cherry Blossom Bash, visitors explored vibrant, thoughtfully branded spaces—including:

• An Instagrammable flower wall that showcased social engagement.
• A bouquet-building experience that encouraged playful, personal connection. This experience sold out within an hour.
• Booths from local vendors, companies, and restaurants. 

Online, the PenFed Petals digital experience extended the reach of the campaign and deepened brand interaction:

• Wishes were submitted to the virtual cherry blossom tree.
• Custom illustrations and gentle animations created a calming, scroll-worthy experience.
• A three-tier moderation system—combining profanity filtering, AI sentiment analysis, and human review—ensured a positive, brand-safe environment.

The result? A first-of-its-kind brand activation that turned a plaza into a place, a moment into a memory, and a financial institution into an unexpected source of springtime joy.